HKTB opens new Office in Chengdu

The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) officially opened its fourth Mainland office in Chengdu, Sichuan Province on Tuesday, 14 February. As well as developing the Central and Southwest China travel market, this new office will help strengthen the HKTB’s collaboration with industry partners in the Pan-Pearl River Delta.

HKTB Executive Director Clara Chong said that the Chengdu office will complement the HKTB’s other offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, and expand the Board’s network across the Mainland. “Both Central and Southwest China enjoy great development potential,” she remarked. “Our latest market study shows that there are as many as five high-potential cities in these two regions, namely Chengdu, Chongqing, Wuhan, Changsha and Nanning.

“The newly opened Chengdu office will enable us to work even more closely with the media and travel trade in the regions concerned,” Ms Chong added. “By capitalising on the momentum generated by the continuous extension of the Individual Visit Scheme, we’ll be able to reinforce our publicity and promotional coverage to ensure that Hong Kong remains the primary destination among Mainland travellers.”

The HKTB also hopes that the new office will foster closer collaboration with travel trade in the Pan-Pearl River Delta, which is not only an important visitor source region, but also Hong Kong’s key partner in developing the international travel market. Boasting distinctive core strengths and rich tourism assets, the Pan-Pearl River Delta is of great appeal to travellers from other Mainland provinces, as well as different parts of the world.

Ms Chong believed that the new Chengdu office will reinforce the HKTB’s network in the Mainland and play an intermediary role among industry partners of different provinces and cities. “Together we’ll introduce more and creative multi-destination itineraries to attract visitors in Mainland China, as well as from overseas, to visit Hong Kong,” she said.

As the capital city of Sichuan Province, Chengdu has a registered resident population of more than 10 million. The city is considered as “high growth” among the 30 high-potential Mainland cities identified by the HKTB. Since November 2005, residents of Chengdu have been eligible to apply for endorsement to visit Hong Kong under the Individual Visit Scheme, which is likely to be extended to more cities.

To fully tap the potential of Central and Southwest China, the HKTB Chengdu office will implement a series of promotions targeting consumers, the travel trade and the media. Using a range of channels, the office will promote Hong Kong’s latest attractions and packages, as well as the HKTB’s Mega Events and Quality Tourism Services scheme. The office will also highlight the convenience of the Individual Visit Scheme so as to encourage more Mainland travellers to explore Hong Kong’s multi-dimensional attractions.

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